A man was questioned by Cottonwood Police while selling high-priced packs of toilet paper at a spot on the Mingus Avenue Extension this week, leading to him shutting down his makeshift shop. The seller had a table set up next to his van with a home-made cardboard sign advertising a 12-pack of toilet paper on sale for $30. He was not charged with any crime.
“Arizona does not have laws prohibiting price gouging or charging high prices in times of emergency or heightened public health concerns,” Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich wrote in a press release on March 19, though his office nevertheless warned of the danger of scams during the coronavirus crisis.
Cottonwood Police Officer James Repp questioned the man not on suspicion of price gouging, but about whether or not he had the right permits to set up a makeshift business.
“I responded to the calls for service about the subject selling toilet paper on the side of the road,” Repp wrote in an email. “Upon arrival I asked the subject if he had a peddler’s permit through the city, and he stated he did not. I advised him he could not sell merchandise without the proper permit. He then packed up his items and moved on without incident.”
The identity of the man was not released by the Cottonwood Police Department because he was not charged with any crime.
Jon Hecht can be reached at 282-7795 or email jhecht@larsonnewspapers.com
